The invention is more particularly concerned with vehicle arresting devices of a kind comprising a flexible substrate intended to lie flat upon the ground when deployed in the path of a fleeing vehicle. The substrate in a device of this kind may be, for example, a panel of woven material, or it may be in the form of a net or matrix of straps or even chains. The modus operandi of a successful vehicle arrest with a device of that kind is as follows. The device is configured to launch the substrate across a surface that is in the path of a fleeing vehicle. The exact timing of the launch of the substrate is controlled by a remote or wired control that allows the operator to stand at a safe location when attempting to stop a fleeing vehicle and launch the substrate into the path of the fleeing vehicle. In an embodiment, the energy source is a pyro-technic charge that has been inserted into a pressure breech that may be ignited by a spring loaded firing pin that activates a percussion cap. When a vehicle runs over the substrate the substrate is designed to engage in the vehicle's front tires and the substrate is caused to wrap around the front wheels, the portion of the substrate between the wheels being pulled tight under the vehicle so that the tension in the substrate prevents further rotation of the wheels and the vehicle is brought to a stop. In practice this occurs in a similar distance to an emergency stop as if the vehicle's brakes had been applied, and has the advantage that it can stop the vehicle without causing serious damage to the vehicle or injury to its occupants.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a remotely controlled vehicle arresting device that can be quickly setup along the path of a target vehicle and a substrate may be remotely controlled to launch into the path of the target vehicle thereby causing the substrate to become entangled in the wheels of the target vehicle and bringing the vehicle to an abrupt and controlled stop.